The bigger role rooftop solar could play in cooling the planet, and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week

Unlocking the full global potential of rooftop solar for electricity generation could provide a scalable, decentralized way to cut emissions, reduce fossil fuel reliance and mitigate climate change, a new study published in Nature Climate Change finds.

This comes as the International Energy Agency warns that global electricity use is set to rise sharply, fuelled by growth in industry, air conditioning, data centres and electrification. Increased reliance on fossil fuels to meet this demand will lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change.

Using AI and geospatial data, researchers globally mapped a rooftop area larger than the UK. Their analysis, based on nine Earth system models, reveals that rooftop solar panels (RPVs), long seen as a "niche" climate solution, could lower global temperatures by up to 0.13°C before 2050.

The study highlights regional differences in RPV potential, stressing the need for tailored strategies. Areas with more sunlight and dense infrastructure could see the greatest benefits in reducing emissions and cooling, the authors say.

The United States has officially withdrawn from the board of the United Nation’s "loss and damage" fund, which helps vulnerable nations cope with climate change-related disasters, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The move, which came into effect on 4 March, follows a series of steps by the current administration to reduce US involvement in international climate initiatives. The withdrawal comes just months after nearly 200 countries agreed to launch the fund at COP28.

The US had previously pledged $17.5 million to the fund, though it remains unclear whether that commitment will be honoured, the news agency said.

This could jeopardize other sources' climate funding at risk and threaten global efforts to help developing countries tackle climate change, warns Carbon Brief.

However, André Corrêa do Lago, president-designate of the COP30 summit, has emphasized that the US will remain “central” to solving the climate crisis, with businesses and other organizations potentially playing a key role, according to The Guardian.

Global sea ice hit a record low in February, The Guardian reports, driven by rising "planet-heating pollutants". The combined ice cover around the North and South Poles reached a new daily minimum early in the month and remained below the previous record, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

As species adapt to climate change and human impact, deep-sea biodiversity is now under threat, warns Nature.

Butterfly populations in the US fell by 22% between 2000 and 2020, with some species declining by over 90%, according to a new study in Science.

Hundreds of thousands in Queensland, Australia were left without power after Alfred, a downgraded tropical cyclone, brought heavy rain and damaging winds, triggering flood warnings.

Beavers from Scotland have been released in Dorset for the first time to boost biodiversity through dam-building. However, the farmers' union has warned they could damage agricultural fields, the BBC reports.

Following World Wildlife Day on 3 March, conservationists in Kenya have highlighted the importance of wildlife corridors, AP reports. One example is Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, 260km north of Nairobi, which is linking Mount Kenya to northern rangelands to aid species like black rhinos and lions while reducing human-wildlife conflict.

Scientists have captured the first video evidence of narwhals using their tusks to strike fish and engage in playful behaviour, shedding new light on the purpose of their distinctive tusks, reports CNN.

Global light pollution is rising, threatening human health, wildlife and the environment, with experts urging action to reduce artificial light, especially in cities and homes. The World Economic Forum’s Nature Positive report offers solutions for sustainable urban growth.

Asia's battle against extreme weather; glacier loss; the link between sunscreen and coral bleaching - here are three more urgent nature and climate stories to learn about this week: